Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us: Then translates the common Hebrew conjunction. In this context the conjunction seems to function as a temporal connector. Let us bring again translates a form of the Hebrew verb called the cohortative. Often the cohortative expresses a wish, request, or command. This is the basis for Revised Standard Version‘s rendering. But the cohortative may also express resolve, which is the basis for the Good News Translation rendering “we will go and get.” (Good News Translation makes explicit that the people must first “go” to get the ark before they can bring it.) Furthermore, the cohortative sometimes expresses purpose or result. This is the basis for the New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh rendering “in order to transfer.” For the ark of our God, see the comments on 1 Chr 6.31. The words to us seem to add emphasis on the necessity of bringing the Covenant Box back from its present location to the place where David and his people were.

For we neglected it in the days of Saul: The Hebrew verb rendered neglected may mean “to inquire about,” “to seek,” or “to make supplication to.” And the Hebrew pronoun for it may refer either to God or to the ark. Because of these various possible meanings, we neglected it may also be translated “we did not inquire of it,” “we did not inquire of him [God],” or “we did not make supplication to him [God].” According to the rendering in Revised Standard Version, which is the most widely accepted interpretation, the sense is that the people did not take care of the ark. More specifically, the sense may be that they failed to care for the ark by moving it to a permanent central location during Saul’s reign. If the meaning “to inquire” is followed, it means that they did not seek God’s will in emergency situations. Since God was thought to be enthroned on the cherubim, it makes little difference in meaning whether the pronoun it refers to God or to the ark.

A literal translation of the words in the days of Saul, as in Revised Standard Version, may fail to express the sense clearly for readers unfamiliar with the history of Israel. Good News Translation provides a helpful model with “while Saul was king.” Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente similarly reads “during the reign of Saul.”

Contemporary English Version combines verses 2 and 3 by moving the information about neglect during the reign of Saul from the end of the quotation to the beginning. On the other hand, Contemporary English Version places the conditions set by David at the beginning of the quotation at the end of the combined verses. Such restructuring may be necessary in certain other languages, but translators should be careful to ensure that such change is really required by the receptor language.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .